Central Heat Plant implosion begins to make way for the development of an energy infrastructure at the Loring Commerce Centre.

Built in 1947 and shut down in 1994, The Central Heat Plant at the former Loring Air Force Base (AFB), now the Loring Commerce Centre, is all but gone. The attempt to implode over 5,000 tons of steel with more than 900 charges of explosives gets a cool welcome.

The demolition was executed by Engineered Products Company, Inc. based in Portland, ME in association with Precision Blasting out of New York.

"This demolition makes way for the development of an energy infrastructure that will supply the businesses at the Loring Commerce Centre and provide jobs for this region", states Hayes Gahagan, project manager of Loring BioEnergy, LLC. Loring BioEnergy owns 54 acres for development at the Commerce Centre.

"This was the biggest implosion ever undertaken in the state of Maine", stated Steve Milley - founder, president and owner of EP. Mr. Milley further said, "We've been involved with several similar projects in Maine and along the east coast but nothing of this magnitude. We were as surprised as anyone that the building didn't totally fall as expected, but we are already back on the job and it will be completed within a few days."

The entire staff at Engineered Products along with local and state officials, local residents, construction workers who had helped build the Heat Plant, and hundreds of on-lookers from Maine, nearby states and many from New Brunswick, Canada were on hand to witness the event. The consensus of the on-lookers was that, even though the building didn't completely fall, the event was exciting, and that they fully supported any energy related development using private funding.

"The former base is well positioned to offer itself as an energy center. As developer we're looking at providing a transmission infrastructure so that wind and other energy in the Maritime and northeast area of northern Maine can get released into the larger markets in New England", said Mr. Gahagan. He further stated, "There will be some very significant energy production developments coming, along with construction and full-time jobs, and we are optimistic about working with the "green" energy infrastructure. We hope to announce these plans later this year".

Once the biggest SAC base in the country, the former Loring AFB is located in the northeastern comer of Maine, in Aroostook County, approximately 5 miles west and south of the Canadian border, and 400 miles north of Boston. At the height of the Cold War, the Heat Plant provided heat and hot water to more than 10,000 officers, airmen, dependents and civilians. The built environment of Loring AFB demonstrates the military, technological, and economic complexity of the Cold War. With the largest capacity of fully capable conventional weapons storage and fuel storage of all SAC bases, Loring was one of the most heavily armed and still stands as a visible representation of the policies that shaped the political, economic, and military history of the world in the last half of the 20th century.

On hand to witness the event are, from left: Linda Gahagan, Carl Flora-President & CEO of Loring Development Authority, Hayes Gahagan-Projects Manager Loring BioEnergy, LLC, Steve Milley-Owner/President Engineered Products Co., Inc and Dave Evans, Owner/President of Precision Explosives, New York.

Engineered Products is a demolition and concrete cutting company specializing in commercial and industrial demolition. In business since 1975. EP has handled assignments dealing with hospitals, schools/universities, highways, the hydro industry, nuclear power plants, the oil industry and numerous shut-down projects at all of Maine's paper mills. Engineered Products has also completed projects on many hydro dams along the east coast.

States Steve Milley, "As a Maine resident and business owner, Engineered Products is very pleased and fortunate being associated with Hayes Gahagan of Loring BioEnergy and Carl Flora of the Loring Development Authority on what could be one of northern Maine's largest new development projects ever.

Jennifer M. Gregor

Operations Manager and Marketing Coordinator
Engineered Products Co., Inc.
38 Caddie Lane
Portland, ME 04103
Email: jgregor@milleyco.com